Peru MERCOSUR Residence in 2026

Peru implements the MERCOSUR residence agreement through a temporary residence stage followed by an indefinite-residence pathway. For eligible South American nationals, this can be more direct than trying to qualify through employment or investment.

Temporary residence

Migraciones' current temporary procedure lists people born in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay. The underlying residence agreement and related Peruvian procedures should be checked for the exact nationality/evidence test in an individual case.

The temporary residence is granted for two years and is not renewable. Migraciones states that the status gives access to work and health services in Peru. The governing agreement also establishes broad equal-treatment principles for resident nationals covered by the instrument.

Because the temporary stage is not renewable, a person who wants to remain needs to plan the next step before it expires.

Permanent MERCOSUR residence

Migraciones' permanent-stage procedure requires the application within the 90 days before the temporary MERCOSUR residence expires. The applicant must still hold valid temporary MERCOSUR residence when applying.

The current procedure asks for evidence of lawful means of support, such as recent payslips or fee receipts, an employment contract or annual income declaration, together with identity and background declarations.

Migraciones currently publishes a S/161.40 fee and a 30-business-day processing period for this change procedure. Verify live values immediately before filing.

Work and study

The official permanent-stage guidance says the MERCOSUR category permits study and lawful lucrative activity in the public and private sectors. The temporary page likewise describes access to work.

That can make the route relevant to employees, founders and independent professionals who qualify by nationality, without requiring them to force their activity into the general Worker or Investor category.

MERCOSUR versus Andean residence

Bolivian and Ecuadorian nationals can also be within Peru's Andean Residence framework. Colombia appears in Peru's current MERCOSUR permanent-stage page while the temporary MERCOSUR page and treaty implementation materials should be checked carefully for the entry-stage eligibility actually being used.

Where more than one regional instrument could apply, compare documentation, entry stage and long-term conversion rules before filing.

See the Peru immigration hub, Permanent Residence, methodology and legal disclaimer.

Official and supporting sources

Related routes in Peru